Yakiniku restaurants have been pretty much sprouting up across the entire island of the late ever since the opening of Yakiniku Like’s very first outpost on the island at PLQ Mall — that brand has pretty much expanded its operations with multiple outlets around, while there are also other Yakiniku restaurants such as that of Yakiniku-GO, Yakiniku Shokudo and Hey! Yakiniku that have since opened in various shopping malls serving up the same fare. Located at Basement 2 in Bukit Timah Plaza, Grill by CUT is yet another establishment that brings the Yakiniku experience to the residents around the area; opened by the very same folks behind CUT Butchery at myVillage @ Serangoon Gardens, Grill by CUT is situated just right beside CUT Butchery’s newest outlet at Bukit Timah Plaza as well — Grill by CUT being an establishment that emphasises on “Butcher’s selection Charcoal BBQ”. As one would have expected, the menu here would feature Wagyu Platters and Yakiniku Sets featuring different cuts of beef from cows of different origins, as well as also other types of meat (i.e. chicken, pork) for those who are looking to have the Charcoal BBQ here; Grill by CUT does however have other items for those whom are not so much into Charcoal BBQ — the menu has sections dedicated to Dons & Noodles (including beef bowls and non-beef options for Donburi — think Sashimi Don Bowls, Unagi Kabayaki Don, Teriyaki Chicken Don) and Sukiyaki as well, whilst they also do serve a small variety of appetisers and sides on the menu here. Those who wish to pick and choose the meats that they desire would also be able to do so from the ala-carte section of the menu.

Having decided to go for one of the Casual Wagyu Platter and one of the Dons and Noodles here, our choice from the Dons and Noodles section of the menu was the Spicy Mentai Wagyu Beef Bowl — essentially their Signature Wagyu Beef Bowl which features Australian grain-fed MB4 Wagyu, Onsen egg, Housemade beef shoyu glaze and Niigata rice with the addition of Spicy Mentaiko mayonnaise over the Wagyu beef. Going straight for the Wagyu beef here, we were really impressed with how well-executed the beef here was; very tender and juicy, and did not require any effort to chew — the Wagyu beef was also savoury sweet from the Housemade beef shoyu glaze that made it especially flavourful, and the beef was in no way gamey. We also liked how the Spicy Mentaiko mayonnaise was being done here; it does carry quite a good kick of spiciness — something that would tingle the taste buds for those who are tolerable to moderate levels of spiciness whilst being still umami. With a slight sear from the blow-torch, there was a hint of smokiness that came with the Wagyu beef as well. We also liked how the bed of Niigata Rice beneath was sufficiently moist and sticky — lightly drenched with a bit of Teriyaki sauce for a sweet-savoury flavour; mixing the onsen egg that came with a runny yolk provided the entire bowl with a silkier touch and gels all of the components altogether. The addition of Shibazuke (i.e. Japanese pickles) provided a good tangy crunch that resets the taste buds from all that meat and rice going on in here.

No doubt the items at Grill by CUT does seem to be priced higher than other casual Yakiniku establishments that have been sprouting up in shopping malls of the late; that beng said, one could easily argue that the offerings at Grill by CUT are certainly more premium than that of the same establishments mentioned above as well. Being a butchery, one can also say that Grill by CUT is probably a way to showcase the variety of meats that they are retailing at CUT Butchery — a great way for consumers to have a try on the various cuts of beef as well as the beef of various origins before making their purchase. For those who are budget conscious, it would be worthy note that the lowest priced Yakiniku item to go for at Grill by CUT would be the Best Value Set in the Casual Yakiniku Set section of the menu that is priced at $18.80++ featuring 200g of Karubi Shortplate that also comes with Kimchi, Japanese Yuzu Salad, refillable lettuce and Niigata Rice. We were also pretty impressed with their cooked items — the Spicy Mentaiko Wagyu Beef Bowl was one that we found to be really well-executed and a fuss-free option to go for those who just want to have something without the need for grilling. Would say that Grill by CUT is certainly a destination for beef lovers to check out — especially for those who are into the Yakiniku experience; a spot that is worth checking out, whilst also somewhere which residents around the area would be glad to have in their neighbourhood.

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